Safety-fender for vehicles



c. E. BEDAUX.

SAFETY FENDER FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, 1921.

1,386,30 Patented Aug. 2, 1921 4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

jrzz/nfoi" 67 6/1105 5267011131 77562656 7 7 1 W Patented Al g- 2, 1921 4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

. 17206 T @aflealiB ux 7 M who FOR VEHIC APR. s, 1921- C- El SAFETY FENDER C. E. BEDAUX. SAFETY FENDER FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILE'D APR. 8. 1921.

' 1,386,308, PatentedAug. 2,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

C. E. BEDAUX.

SAFETY FENDER FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, 1921.

Patented Aug. 2, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CI-IARLES E. BEDAUX, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SAFETY-FENDER FOR VEHICLES.

T o-aZZ 'w from it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES E. BEDAUX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the coun of Cuyahoga and .iinds preferable embodiment in. the structure or structures hereinafter particularly described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of the front portion of an automobile equipped with my safety fender shown in operative posit-ion;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of my fender (in inoperative position) and of its casing, one of the covers whereby an opening in the casing is closable beingshown in open position;

Fig. 4 is a. front view of the same, the other cover for closing such opening being shown in open position;

Fig. 5 is a plan vlew of a portion of the same, showing the mountings of a pair of swingalole arms and the springs whereby such arms are swung into diverging or operative position Fig. 6 shows one of the swingable arms provided with means for holding it in operative position;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the casing and contained parts'taken on a vertical plane corresponding to line 77 of Fig. 3

Fig. 8 is a like View taken on a vertical plane corresponding to line 8-8 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a like view taken on a vertical plane corresponding to line 9-9 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a plan view, partly in longitudinal section, of the casing and contained and connected parts, showing a. modified construction whereby the arms may be swung;

Fig. 11 is a front view of a portion of the same; and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed Apri1 8, 1921. Serial No. 459,584.

Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view of parts thereof taken on a. vertical plane corresponding to line 1212 of Fig. 10.

In all the views except Figs. 1 and 2 the flexible sheet 8 is omitted for the sake of clea-rness;

In the embodiments of the invention chosen for illustration by the drawings and for detailed description in the body of this saecification, my safety fender is carried at t e front end of an automobile 1, being fastened thereto by suitable connections, as by the supporting members 2. The fender coniprises a casing 3 extending horizontally, and in the inoperative position of the mechanism resembling in appearance the ordinary front bumper or fender of an automobile. Pairs of arms 4, 5 are swingably mounted inside the casing, one pair adjacent one side of the automobile and the other pair adjacent the automobiles other side, on pivot pins 6, 7 respectively, whose aXes are inclined relatively to each other so that the arm 4 swings on its pivot pin 6 in an ap proximately vertical plane, and the arm 5 swings on its pivot pin 7 in a plane extending downwardly and outwardly from the front of the automobile. A strong flexible sheet 8 of suitable material, as heavy canvas, is carried by the outer or free ends of these four arms, being secured at its corners thereto as by helical springs 9.

The arms 4, 5 of each pair may he swung outwardly from the casing into diverging or operative position (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) by the leaf springs 10, 11 respectively. having orifices 12 near their free ends in which orifices the respective arms slidably engage in their swinging movement. Suitable means, as the spring catches 13, 14 carried by the arms, (or some of them) are provided for securely holding such arms in their operative positions, the free extremities of the springs 13, 14 holdingly abutting against the springs 10, 11, respectively, ad-

jacent their orifices 12 as seen in Fig. 5.

The arms are held in inoperative or parallel position inside the casing, against the pressure of their operating springs 10, 11, by releasable means, such means in the construction illustrated particularly in Fig. 7 being the bars 15, 16 swingably mounted at 17, 18 and holdingly engaging the arms 4 and 5 respectively. In moving these bars to their arms-holding position seen in Fig. 7, the lower bar 16 is first swung into its extension 19 passing over or around the upper end 20 of the bar 16. The bars, being thus moved to their operative positions, are securely held therein by the bolt 21 pressed by its spring 22 into holding engagement with the orifice 23 in the end 20 of the bar 16. This bolt 21 being withdrawn from its holding engagement by the cord at against the pressure of the spring 22, first permits the upwardmovement of the bar 15 under the pressure or" the springs 10 which'swing the arms 4 upwardly; and when the free end 20 of the other bar 16 is thus released from the orifice 25 in bar 15, the bar 16 is permitted to move outwardly under the pressure of the springs 11 which swing the arms 5 forwardly. When the bars 15, 16 thus re lease the arms, their free ends under the pressure of their springs 10, 11 swing outwardly from the casing carrying the flexible sheet 8 (which has been folded into the casing with the swungin arms) with them, and in so swinging press the bars 15, 16 against swing open the covers 26, 27 swingably mountedat 28, 29 respectively and provided for closing the opening 30 in the upper and front sides of the casing, these covers when thus openedassuming theposition seen in 1.

It will be understood that when the driver recognizes the probability of his automobiles colliding with pedestrian or otherobject in front of his machine, he instantly draws the cord 24. which extends to a position convenient for his grasping the same, whereupon the bars 15, 16 are released and the arms l,

5 carrying the sheet 8 with them, swing out through the opening 30 in the casing and spread the sheet in such position, (shown in Figs. 1 and as will receive and carry said objectwhile the travel of the automobile is being stopped.

' The parts in the position seen in Figs. 1 and 2 may be returned to inoperative position by swinging the arms 4, and folding sheet 8 inwardly into the casing, moving the bars 15,16 into holding engagement with said arms, and closing the covers 26, .27, whereupon the device resembles in appearance, the ordinary form of the front bumper of an automobile: By providing covers 26, 27 of sufficient rigidity and their mountings of suliicient strength, my tender in its inoperative position will function in like manner as such ordinary bumpers.

The arms 4:, 5 may be swung outwardly into their operative positions by other means and mechanism than those above described: For instance, a cylinder 31 may be provided for' each pair l, 5 of arms, and have a pis 15011 32 with connections between. it and the arms for thus swinging them, as shownin Figs. 10, 11 and 12. Such connections are desirably the connecting rod 33 pivoted to the piston 32 and to the lever 34 carried: by

position by the releasable bolt 41 adapted to be engaged by the slot 42 in the keeper 43 on the piston, such keeperlin. the outward movement of the piston striking the inclined edge 44: of said bolt and moving it backw'ardly against the pressure of its spring 45.

The invention being intended to be pointed out in the claims,'is' not to be limitedto or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings or hereinbefore described.

I claim:

1. In a fender for vehicles; pairs of arms, the arms of one pair being swingably mounted respectively on relatively inclined axes adjacent one side of the vehicle and the arms of the other pair being similarly -mounted adjacent the vehicles other side; a flexible sheet carried by the free ends of the arms; means for swinging the arms of said pairs into diverging position.

2. In a fender for vehicles; pairs of arms, the arms of one pair being swingably mounted respectively on relatively inclined axes adjacent one side of the vehicles and the arms of the other pair being similarly mounted adjacent the vehicles other side; a flexible sheet carried by the free ends of the arms; means for swinging the arms of said pairs into diverging position; releasable means for holding at least some of the arms approximately vertical plane and the other arm of each pair being swingable in a plane extending downwardly and outwardly from the fender-carrying end of the vehicle; a flexible sheet carried by the free ends of the arms; means for swinging the arms of said pairs into diverging position. I V

4. In a fender for veh'cles; pairs of arms, the arms of one pair being swingably mounted adjacent one side of the vehicle and the arms of the other pair being swingably mounted adjacent the vehicles otherside, one arm of each pair being swingable in an approximately vertical plane and the other arm of each pair being swingable in a plane extending downwardly and outwardly from the fender-carrying end of the vehicle; a

L arms in the casing; releasable meflexible sheet carried by the free ends of the arms; means for swinging the arms of said pairs into diverging position; releasable means for holding at least some of the arms in said position.

5. In a tender for vehicles; a casing extending horizontally at the vehicles end; pairs of arms, the arms of one pair being swingably mounted respectively on relatively inclined axes in the casing and adja cent one side 01 the vehicle, and the arms at the other pair being similarly mounted adjacent the vehicles other side; a sheet carried by the tree ends of the arms and toldable into the casing; means for swinging the arms of said pairs into diverging position wherein the sheet and the tree ends of the arms are outside the casing; releasable means for holding the free ends of the arms in the casing.

6. In a tender for vehicles; casing extending horizontally at the vehicles end; pairs of arms, the arms of one pair being swing-ably mounted respectively on relatively inclined axes in the casing and adjacent one side of the vehicle, a the arms of the other pair being simil mounted adjacent tne vehicles other side; a sheet carried by the free ends of the arms and fold-able into the casing; means for sw nging the arms of said pairs into divergi position wherein the sheet and the free ends of the arms are outside the casin holding at least some of the arms in their said diverging position.

7. In a tender for vehicles; a casing extending horizontally at the vehicles end; pairs oi arms, the arms oi one pair being swing-ably mounted respectively on relatively inclined axes in the casing and adjacent one side of the vehicle, and the arms of the other pair being similarly mounted adjacent the vehicles other sine; a sheet carried by the free ends of the arms and foldable into the casing; means for swing ing the arms oi said pairs into diverging position wherein the sheet and the free ends of the arms are outside the casing; swingably mounted bars adapt-ed to releasably hold the arms in the casing; a bolt movable into and out of holding engagement with the bars in their armsholding position.

8. In a tender for vehicles; pairs of arms, the arms of one pair being swingably mounted respectively on relatively inclined axes adjacent one side or the vehicle and the arms of the other pair being similarly mounted adjacent tie vehicles other side, the arms being swingable to diverging and to parallel positions; a flexible sheet carried by the free ends of the arms; means for swinging the arms into diverging position;

swingably mounted bars adapted to releas ably hold the arms in parallel position; a bolt movable into and out of holding engagement with the bars in their arms-holding position.

9. In a tender for vehicles; a casing having an openin and extending horizontally at the vehicle's end; swingably mounted covers for said opening; pairs of arms, the arms or one pair being swingably mounted respectively on relatively inclined axes in the casing and adjacent one side of the vehicle, and tne arms of th other pair besimilarly mounted adjacent the vehicles other side; a sheet carried by the free ends of the arms and toldable into the casing; means for swinging the arms oi said pairs into diverging position wherein the sheet and the free ends of the arms pass through said opening to the outside of the casing; releasable means for holding the free ends of the arms in the casing.

10. In a tender for vehicles; pairs of arms, the arms of one pair being swing-ably mounted respectively on relatively inclinet axes adjacent one side of the vehicle and the arms of the other pair being similarly mounted adjacent the vehicles other side; a flexible sheet carriec. by the tr e ends of the arms; springs pressing to swing the ins oi said pairs into diverging position; releasable means for holding the arms against the pressure of the springs.

11. In a tender for vehicle pairs at arms; the arms oft one pair being swingably mounted respectively on relatively inclined axes adjacent one side of the vehicle and the arms of the other pair being similarly mounted adjacent the vehicles other side; a flexible sheet carried by the free ends of the arms; cylinders having pistons; connections between each aiston and pair of arms for swinging said pair into diverging position by the movement oi the piston.

12. In a tender "for vehicles; pairs of arms, the arms of one pair being swingably mounted respectively on relatively inclined axes adjacent one side of the vehicle and the arms of. the other pair being similarly mounted adjacent the vehicles other side; a flexible sheet aried by the free ends of the arms; cylinders having pistons; connections between each piston and one arm of each pair and toothed segment and intermeshing toothed rack connections between said arm and the other arm of said pair for swinging said pair into diverging position by the movement of the piston. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30 day of March. 1921.

CHARLES BE AUX. Witnesses PAUL O. MERRILL, F. IVAN ANDnRsoN. 

